San Francisco Bay Guardian Reports:
San Francisco Police Department officers have added a controversial tactic to their aggressive raids on house parties (see “Fun under siege,” 4/22/09): they’re seizing laptop computers from DJs at the events.
While SFPD officials deny the laptop seizures is a new policy, they admit it has been condoned by Police Chief George Gascón, who took over in August and last month told the Guardian’s editorial board he wants to make the SFPD more transparent and accountable to the public (see “New coach, new approach,” 10/14/09).
“The police chief is aware that officers are being proactive in gathering evidence,” Sgt. Lyn Tomioka told the Guardian when asked about a string of laptop seizures by undercover cops over the last 10 months, most of them in cases in which the DJs weren’t even charged with a crime. (read the whole article here)
This is a new world now. In the past officers have confiscated audio equipment as evidence for underground events but now DJ’s need to be extra careful. In the future I have a feeling this could be common practice around the country as a scare tactic to DJ’s. It is important to back-up your laptop before events and I feel that if this does become common practice, and you are playing an underground event, that you need to have a laptop JUST for DJing. Keep anything and everything of personal value off the laptop and be sure that you have a complicated password on it to keep the man from snooping.
What concerns me is that there is always the possibility of a DJ not being aware that an event is fully permitted. DJ’s are hired and I would be hard pressed to believe that they are legally obligated to insure the event has it’s paperwork in line. If you play underground events often and use a laptop it may be a good idea to seek the advice of an attorney on what your legal rights are. If I was put in this situation I would probably demand that I be charged with a crime before allowing the officer to seize my personal property. It would be good to tell the officer that you were hired for the event and are not affiliated with the promoter or venue owner and therefore should not have my personal property taken. It probably won’t work, so be sure to ask the officer for his identification, get his badge number and name and immediately go to the police station to file a complaint. If he refuses call 911 and report that someone claiming to be an officer is refusing to produce identification and you need help. Do anything you can to make the taking of your property difficult but within your legal rights.
A laptop to a DJ is just like a drum set to a drummer. It is the tool of their self expression and as such should be respecting as a freedom of speech. There are some people who are concerned that the RIAA is behind the laptop seizures as part of a larger scale attack on performance rights. I see both sides of the fence on this issue, but I also know that most of our friends who are DJ’s play music given to them BY the artists to play as promotion.
Stay safe out there, have fun playing and keep your head down.
